Work faster, think bigger with UAB ChatGPT
The UAB ChatGPT Service enables UAB faculty and staff to use OpenAI's ChatGPT to enhance productivity, streamline tasks, and support teaching, research, and administrative work.
UAB IT · Generative AI
OpenAI ChatGPT Service
Available through UAB-approved access, ChatGPT helps you generate content, summarize information, brainstorm ideas and explore new approaches to your work in a secure and responsible way.
- Aligned with UAB standards for privacy, security and responsible AI use, with institutional oversight and compliance built in.
- A supported path for engaging with generative AI tools rather than an unmanaged personal account.
- Best suited for individuals who want to improve day-to-day work and accelerate content creation.
Faculty and staff may request access to ChatGPT for individual or team use as part of their university work. The OpenAI model release schedule for the EDU plans can differ from the publicized dates.
Features
Create Content
Generate emails, reports, presentations, and other materials quickly with AI-assisted drafting and editing.
Summarize and Analyze
Turn lengthy documents, articles, or notes into concise summaries and key insights to save time.
Brainstorm and Ideate
Explore new ideas, approaches, and perspectives for projects, research, and problem-solving.
Support Teaching and Learning
Assist with course materials, explanations, and content development to enhance teaching and learning experiences.
Improve Productivity
Reduce repetitive work and accelerate common tasks with conversational AI support.
Use Responsibly
Engage with AI tools that are aligned with UAB guidance for appropriate use, data handling, and responsible AI practices.
Frequently asked questions
Eligibility and access
UAB faculty and staff are eligible to request UAB ChatGPT Edu. Before a new subscription is provisioned, each person requesting access must confirm that they have read and understand UAB's Responsible AI Use.
Approved users may include faculty and staff, depending on the use case and access model. ChatGPT is currently only available on campus for uab.edu users. Users affiliated with UAB Hospital, UAB Medicine, UAB Medicine Ambulatory, and clinical affiliates will have a separate instance of ChatGPT available at a later date.
Once you are provisioned, ChatGPT is accessed through a web interface or the ChatGPT mobile app using your UAB email address as your username.
ChatGPT Codex is included with the ChatGPT Education Advanced subscription.
Faculty and staff may also request access to the OpenAI API platform. API costs vary based on usage.
Getting started
Follow these steps to set up your account once you are provisioned for a ChatGPT license.
To transition your account once you are provisioned for a license at UAB, follow these steps. These instructions are especially important if you want to preserve your chat history.
No. ChatGPT is designed to be easy to use, allowing users to interact with AI through natural language without technical expertise.
If you are looking to improve efficiency, generate content, explore ideas, or interact with information in a conversational way, ChatGPT may be a good fit.
Use ChatGPT if you are working on a self-contained task from scratch, such as troubleshooting a block or code, formatting raw text or brainstorming abstract concepts.
Use paid Copilot 365 if the task requires information that is stored in your Microsoft files, such as summarizing internal documents, drafting responses to emails or prepping for meetings on your calendar.
Keep in mind UAB offers a free version of Copilot, a generative AI chatbot similar to ChatGPT, for all campus faculty, staff and students.
Use the OpenAI/ChatGPT form to request a different subscription tier or, if you have an Advanced subscription, supplemental credit packs.
For questions or assistance, visit the IT Service Portal or contact AskIT at 205-996-5555.
What ChatGPT can do
ChatGPT can assist with drafting content, summarizing information, brainstorming ideas, answering questions, and supporting task completion across many common work scenarios.
ChatGPT is a general-purpose conversational AI tool that supports a wide range of tasks. Other tools, such as Microsoft Copilot or custom agents, may provide deeper integration with UAB systems, workflows, or data sources.
The ChatGPT Education Intermediate tier includes the ability to create and use plugins. The Advanced tier also includes approved MCP server connections.
Plugins and connections to additional tools or data sources must meet UAB approval and data-handling requirements.
Data, security and research
Yes. Data classified by the university as Sensitive data can be entered into UAB's ChatGPT Service. UAB data should never be used under a personal ChatGPT account that is not part of UAB's ChatGPT Service. Users should follow UAB data classification and AI guidance.
Yes, but not PHI. You should refer to the restrictions of your research project to determine if you can use AI. Users should follow UAB data classification and AI guidance.
Yes. UAB provides guidance and approved pathways for using ChatGPT in a way that aligns with university security and privacy standards. Users are responsible for following appropriate data handling practices.
The campus instance of ChatGPT is available for Public, Sensitive, some Restricted (non-PHI) research data. It is not approved for regulated data including (but not limited to) PCI, ITAR, CUI and HIPAA. Billing for grants is not yet available. You should also consult your grant language to determine if you can use AI per the terms of your grant.
Cost and billing
UAB ChatGPT Edu offers three subscription tiers:
- ChatGPT Education Basic: Includes basic ChatGPT chat capabilities, 450 credits per month and costs $29.25 per month.
- ChatGPT Education Intermediate: Includes Basic features, ChatGPT Work, and the ability to create and use plugins. It provides 900 credits per month and costs $49.50 per month.
- ChatGPT Education Advanced: Includes Intermediate features, ChatGPT Codex, and approved MCP server connections. It provides 2,200 credits per month and costs $108 per month.
Plugins and connections to additional tools or data sources must meet UAB approval and data-handling requirements.
Choose a tier based on the features and monthly credits you expect to need:
- Basic provides ChatGPT chat capabilities and 450 credits per month.
- Intermediate adds ChatGPT Work and the ability to create and use plugins, with 900 credits per month.
- Advanced adds ChatGPT Codex and approved MCP server connections, with 2,200 credits per month.
Review the options and request a subscription through the OpenAI/ChatGPT form.
The monthly cost depends on the subscription tier:
- Basic: $29.25 per month
- Intermediate: $49.50 per month
- Advanced: $108 per month
Each UAB ChatGPT Edu subscription includes a monthly credit allocation:
- Basic: 450 credits per month
- Intermediate: 900 credits per month
- Advanced: 2,200 credits per month
Basic and Intermediate subscribers who need more capacity should move to the next subscription tier. Advanced subscribers may request up to three recurring supplemental credit packs. Each pack provides 1,000 additional credits for $45 per month.
Supplemental credit packs are available for Advanced subscribers. Advanced subscribers may request up to three recurring packs of 1,000 credits each for $45 per month per pack.
Basic and Intermediate subscribers who need additional capacity should move to the next subscription tier.
UAB IT is deploying OpenAI products at cost. Consumer plans from OpenAI are priced for individual use and reflect a go-to-market model that does not apply to institutional deployments. Institutional licensing accounts like UAB's account for the full cost of vendor infrastructure, security, compliance, and support at scale. Rates are based on estimated monthly credit usage and will be reviewed periodically.
Billing for grants is not yet available, but UAB IT is working with Grants Accounting to determine how to handle it.
When working with any AI tool, refer to UAB's AI policies and guidelines .